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Blue Jays extend O's skid with walk-off win

By
Keegan Matheson and Gregor ChisholmMLB.com

TORONTO -- The Orioles have fallen flat at the most inopportune time, extending their recent skid to six games on Saturday night at Rogers Centre, as closer Zach Britton blew a save and the Blue Jays walked it off for a 3-2 win.

Kevin Pillar walked to lead off the bottom of the ninth and moved to third on a Teoscar Hernandez single. Catcher Luke Maile drove home the tying run with a sharp grounder that just got away from Orioles third baseman Manny Machado, before rookie shortstop Richard Urena hit a well-struck line drive up the middle to end it.

TORONTO -- The Orioles have fallen flat at the most inopportune time, extending their recent skid to six games on Saturday night at Rogers Centre, as closer Zach Britton blew a save and the Blue Jays walked it off for a 3-2 win.

Kevin Pillar walked to lead off the bottom of the ninth and moved to third on a Teoscar Hernandez single. Catcher Luke Maile drove home the tying run with a sharp grounder that just got away from Orioles third baseman Manny Machado, before rookie shortstop Richard Urena hit a well-struck line drive up the middle to end it.

"The ball is sinking about two-and-a-half feet it seems like," Maile said of facing Britton. "There's no mystery to it. You know what you're going to get for the most part. He'll occasionally spin something, but you know you're getting a fastball and you have to try and pop it up almost, because so many roll it over. He's really good, and he was really good tonight. He just left a couple up, and fortunately, we put the bat on it."

The O's losing streak hasn't done them any favors in the crowded American League Wild Card race. Baltimore trails the Twins by 4 1/2 games for the second AL Wild Card spot with Minnesota's win on Tuesday night.

During their skid, the Orioles have been outscored 28-10.

"We just haven't been able to score many runs," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "We give their pitchers all the credit they need to get, but it's kind of a two-edged sword. They're pitching well and we're not swinging the bats well."

Joe Biagini threw a career-high eight innings for the Blue Jays and was extremely efficient, needing just 88 pitches. This was due in large part to the 14 groundouts forced by Biagini, who allowed just six hits and struck out two. The right-hander allowed a run in each of his final two frames, including a solo home run to Tim Beckham that put the Orioles ahead in the eighth.

Orioles starter Dylan Bundy allowed some deep contact through the air but managed to keep his team in the game over six innings. The right-hander struck out eight Blue Jays and allowed five hits while issuing just one walk and throwing 89 pitches.

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDThird time's the charm: The Blue Jays were knocking on the door in the bottom of the third when Urena and Josh Donaldson both flied out to the warning track with Maile standing on first. Justin Smoak finally cashed him in with two out, driving a double off the wall in right that Joey Rickard almost made a play on. This was Smoak's 86th RBI of the season, further extending a career high.

Trumbo ties it:Mark Trumbo finally put the struggling Orioles' offense on the board in the 7th on a soft line drive into center field that scored Trey Mancini, who doubled earlier in the inning. Trumbo's single left his bat at just 71.4 mph and fell into shallow center field in front of Pillar in center field.

QUOTABLE"Everybody's looking for one reason. There's a myriad of reasons why things happen. He was really good in the eighth. He threw some good pitches in the ninth. They just hit a few balls where we couldn't catch them." -- Showalter, on Britton's blown save

"A lot of good things tonight. Urena getting the big walk-off hit. He's been playing great. [Tim] Mayza getting his first [win]. Teoscar [had a] nice piece of hitting in the ninth inning shooting the ball to right field and Maile, Lukey, with the big hit. You don't get many balls by Machado, that's for sure." -- Blue Jays manager John Gibbons, on the club's walk-off victory

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDSThe Blue Jays have won four consecutive games for the first time since July 24-27.

WHAT'S NEXTOrioles: Right-hander Kevin Gausman will start the series finale in Toronto at 7:07 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Gausman has been dealing with a blister on his right index finger and lasted just three innings in his last start after allowing five runs. He has a 1.57 ERA through five starts this season vs. the Blue Jays.

Blue Jays: Right-hander Marcus Stroman will take the mound as Toronto goes for a sweep of the Orioles. Stroman allowed four runs over six innings during his last start vs. the Tigers. He has faced Baltimore twice this season and is yet to allow an earned run over 9 1/3 innings.